A quick survey of spas and hot tubs will show that they typically are not well secured from unintentional use. Some spa covers have straps with quick release cargo snaps, or in some cases a simple plastic lock, which is easily defeated.
More than 4,400 people drowned in the United States in 1998. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 14 and under, and the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4. Most drownings occur in residential swimming pools and hot tubs. There has been significant publicity on securing swimming pools from unintentional use by children, but very little focus on securing hot tubs.
A 26-year survey of drownings in hot tubs, spas, and whirlpools in California 1960-85 suggests a person- and site-specific profile. The identified 74 deaths occurred mostly in White children, under two years of age, in Southern California, during the late afternoons, from May through August. From 1967 to 1985, the drowning rate increased tenfold. The deaths were associated with access to the water, lack of supervision, neuromotor handicaps, and entrapment by suction. Educational and environmental control efforts are required to reduce the incidence. Reference: Shinaberger C S, Anderson C L, Kraus J F. Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health 90024-1772. PMID: 2327545 [PubMed—indexed for MEDLINE]
Hot tub covers are not adequate barriers to entry, and the straps provided with or for the covers are easily defeated. People have been known to use their neighbor's hot tubs without permission at ski hill condominiums, often cutting the conventional hot tub cover straps with a knife to gain access.
Applicant is aware of patents regarding devices which arc used to secure a variety of objects using reinforced webbing and locking mechanisms such as,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,138 issued to Yerger on Mar. 27, 2001 teaches about a safety belt for climbing tree stands in which a chain is layered between two strips of webbing to form the belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,412 issued to Kennedy on Mar. 13, 2001 teaches about a lockable tie down strap that has one loose end that is secured in a key-operated locking member to prevent theft, and is preferably constructed of a tubular webbing with steel cables running through the body of the webbing to prevent cutting of the strap, and thereby more securely hold a load by the strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,324 issued to Meier on Jun. 5, 1990 teaches about a center-release buckle with a rotatable lock to secure a cover or belt, which lock is mounted in the buckle against a flexible flap in the buckle housing and is secured therein by mounting the housing on a base or frame.